The present invention is directed to a play toy for an animal, and in particular, to such a toy for both a young and a mature horse and other animals which is safe for its use. Applicant has processed Disclosure Document Deposits recorded by the U.S. Patent Office as number 367878.
Many hoofed and pawed animals, such as horses, dogs and cats enjoy play things. Almost universally these play things, or toys, are designed for the animal to pick up and hold in its mouth, or to push with its nose or feet (hoofs, paws). These prior animal play toys have been designed to occupy the animals in some sort of activity, such a chewing, gnawing, or butting and pushing. Most are also designed to look appealing to the animal's owner.
Usually these prior toys are designed to be durable, i.e. to be tough enough to not be easily destroyed or broken by the animal. This durability has manifested itself in a generally rigid or semi-rigid object made from metal, wood, tough rubber compounds or tough plastic compounds. In addition, these prior toys often provide a grasping surface which universally has been embodied as a closed loop or narrowed, round rod-shaped, section. An example of a horse toy of this design is a tough rubber coated ball, of a size between a volley ball and a basket ball, with a rigid protruding grasping loop. This grasping loop is made from a rod projecting from the surface of the ball and attached at both ends.
Many of these toys, including this ball toy are awkward and too heavy for young horses to safely handle. Moreover, as the projecting closed loop is made large enough for the horse to grasp in its mouth, it is often, also, large enough for the young horse to trip on. Its opening is also large enough for the horse to get its hoof caught in, or to injure its leg.
Stuffed toys, such as stuffed human-looking dolls, and dog-like or cat-like dolls, have been used as small animal play toys. These stuffed toys are unsuitable for larger animals, such as horses. They are not durable enough, nor do they provide a proper grasping surface for the animal. A young, or even an older horse can gag on many of the appendages of such doll-like toys. However, stuffed toys are soft and pliable and usually cannot cause injury when stepped on, unless they create a tripping hazard.
It is desirable to provide an improved animal toy, which is durable and which is soft and pliable so a not to cause injury when stepped on or tossed about. It is also desirable to provide such a toy which presents grasping appendages of a size and shape to be easily grasped in the animal's mouth without allowing a horse to gag. It is further desirable to provide such a toy which is safe and non-toxic to the animal if it is broken or torn apart.